Posts Tagged ‘Hypercube’

Envious of emeralds? Desirous of diamonds? Get your jewel fix with the game that’s all about sparkle. Bejeweled Blitz is the newest version of the classic game, Bejeweled. It combines the original rules of the game with new features, special gems, and bonuses. Fast-paced, challenging, and highly addictive, it’s currently one of the most popular games on Facebook.

Objective:

While it can be challenging to earn high scores, the basic rules of Bejeweled Blitz are relatively simple. Earn as many points as possible in the one-minute level by aligning three or more identical gems in a row and making them disappear! The more gems you remove, the more score-boosting bonuses and special Power Gems you can earn.

How to Play:

The board with some of the available swaps highlighted

The game is laid out on a grid—eight squares long by eight squares wide. Each square contains an individual gem. To score points, search the board for identically colored gems that can be made in to a row of three or more. Rows can be made vertically or horizontally, but not diagonally.

You can only swap one gem at a time to form a row. To swap gems, highlight the first one by clicking on it, and then highlight the other. If a row can be formed, the gems will swap and the row of matching jewels will disappear. If it’s not a valid row, there will be an error sound and both of the gems will be un-highlighted.

When you’ve successfully removed a row, all of the gems above it will cascade down and fall into the empty spaces. New gems will come down from the top so the board is always full with 64 gems.

Sometimes, the gems falling from the top will meet matching ones and make rows without any moves required. The row will automatically disappear, points will be added, and new gems will continue to fall. Lucky you!

Continue making rows until the clock runs out or there are no more moves available and you receive a “No Moves Left” message.

GEMOLOGY

Layout of all the different kinds of gems

Standard Gems:

Theses are normal gems. There are seven different kinds, each with a unique shape and color.

Flame Gems:

These are created when you make a row of four matching gems. They look like they are on fire and when they are matched in a row, they explode and remove the other gems surrounding them.

Star Gem:

When you create a row that runs both horizontally and vertically (in an ‘L’ or a ‘T’ shape), you earn a Star Gem. This gem twinkles and when used, it explodes to remove all of the gems lined up in the same row and column.

Hypercube:

Make a row of five gems to earn a Hypercube. The most effective of the Power Gems, it can be activated by swapping it with any neighboring gem. When swapped, all of the gems identical to the gem it was swapped with will be removed from the board. For instance, if you swap a Hypercube with an emerald, all of the emeralds on the board will disappear. (Read tips on using Hypercubes in the “Strategy” section below.)

Multiplying Gems:

Multipliers look exactly like the Standard Gems except they have a number on them. These gems are created when twelve or more cubes are removed in one single swap. This can happen by using Power Gems, Hypercubes, or by creating a large cascade. Earning Multipliers can have a huge affect on your score because when you match them, the new points you earn are multiplied by the number on the gem. They not only multiply the points you earn from the match, but also to any extra points you get with a Speed Bonus.

Only one Multiplier Gem can be created every ten seconds. If you are fortunate enough to match two Multiplier Gems in the same row, you will get multiplied points for the rest of the game. Jackpot!

BONUSES & BOOSTS

Bonus Time:

To earn a Speed Bonus, you have to make several consecutive matches in a matter of seconds. Once you’ve earned a Speed Bonus, additional points are added to every row you make while it lasts. The higher the Speed Bonus, the more time you have until it runs out. Speed Bonus points can range between +200 and +1000 points per match.

If you can keep earning Speed Bonuses for an extended amount of time, you will win an extra Blazing Speed Bonus. During this brief five-second bonus time, each row you make will have the same affect as if you had used a Flame Gem and all of the surrounding jewels will explode.

Get a Boost:

Boosts are special features that affect how your game starts or ends. Boosts can be purchased using coins, which can either be won with Coin Gems or purchased using Facebook credits. Each purchased boost is good for 3 uses and you can use up to 3 boosts at one time.

The Different Kinds of Boosts:

Detonator Boost: Appears at the start of the game and when clicked on, every Power Gem will be used at the same time.

Scrambler Boost: Appears at the start of the game. When clicked on, it will mix up every jewel on the board and arrange them in a random order. It is good for two uses per game and is a helpful alternative to using the “Hint” button when it becomes difficult to find a possible play.

Mystery Gem: The boost for those who like suprises! When used, any jewel will be changed into a random Power Gem at the beginning of the game. Any of the special gems are possible, except for multipliers.

Stuck?
If you are unable to find a match on the board, you can hit the “Hint” button and the game will highlight one of the possible plays. This will cost you points, but it may be better to lose a few points than to waste precious time.

Start From the Top:

If you start by making rows at the bottom and moving up, a lot depends on luck. Some moves could result in a cascade of matching rows. Others could ruin potential matches on top. Playing from the top to the bottom gives you more control over the game and one Bejeweled Blitz gamer study showed that making matches from the top down resulted in a higher score overall.

Maximize Your Matches:

Instead of making three-gem rows quickly, search for opportunities to make bigger matches. This will create Hypercubes and Power Gems. These are instrumental in creating the large explosions that earn lots of points and more Multiplier Gems. Bigger matches also clear the board faster and open new matching possibilities. A fast-changing board is better than a stagnant one.

Use Hypercubes Wisely:

Instead of using Hypercubes immediately, wait for the moment they can gain the most points. If you can earn a Multiplier Gem before using the Hypercube, you will receive multiplied points for all of the jewels that are removed. If you don’t have a Multiplier, evaluate the board and swap the Hypercube with the gem that has the highest amount on the board.

More Power:

If you have two Power Gems, try to detonate them close together. When used at the same time, they will result in a Multiplier. Don’t hold a Power Gem too long though, because the game is so fast-paced.

Plan Ahead:

Mentally divide the board in half. Once you’ve made a row on one side of the screen, don’t wait see how the gems fall. Immediately look to the other side where the jewels aren’t moving and start making your next matching row. You don’t have to wait for the board to settle to make more matches.